Driving Anxiety: How to Get Back Behind the Wheel with Confidence
Driving a car can be a daunting and an anxiety-provoking experience for many people.
Whether it’s fear of losing control of a vehicle, the fear of getting into an accident, or the fear of driving in certain situations, such as on the motorway, in heavy traffic or in bad weather, driving anxiety can have a significant impact on your daily life and mobility.
Symptoms of Anxiety About Driving
Anxiety about driving can manifest itself in various ways, and the symptoms may vary from person to person. Some common symptoms of driving anxiety include:
- Sweating or trembling
- Rapid heart rate or palpitations
- Hyperventilation or difficulty breathing
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- Nausea or stomach discomfort
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Negative thoughts or catastrophic thinking
- Avoidance of driving or specific routes
Causes of Anxiety About Driving
There are many causes of driving anxiety. However, the following are some common causes of anxiety about driving that may impact you:
- Traumatic experiences: If you have been involved in a car accident, witnessed one, or lost someone, you may develop a fear of driving. The memories of the traumatic event can trigger this fear and lead to anxiety and avoidance of driving.
Pressure to be a “perfect” driver: The pressure to be a “perfect” driver or fear of judgment from others can also contribute to driving anxiety. This can include pressure from family or friends or feeling like you need to impress others with your driving skills.
Lack of confidence: If you lack confidence in your driving abilities, you may become anxious behind the wheel. This can be due to a lack of experience, a previous negative experience while driving, or feeling like you don’t have the necessary skills to handle certain driving situations.
Lack of driving experience or training: A lack of driving experience or training can also contribute to driving anxiety. This can include not having enough practice time behind the wheel or not having received proper training in specific driving skills, such as navigating motorways or driving in bad weather.
Health conditions: Health conditions such as panic disorder or agoraphobia can also contribute to driving anxiety. These conditions can make it difficult to handle certain driving situations, such as going on busy roads or motorways.
Fear of car breakdowns: You may worry that something may go wrong with the car while driving, such as a flat tire or breakdown. This fear can contribute to driving anxiety, especially if you do not feel confident in your ability to handle such situations.
General fear of driving: You may have a general fear of driving, which may be related to a phobia or an anxiety disorder. This fear can be triggered by various situations, such as driving at night or in bad weather, and can lead to avoidance of driving altogether.
Stressful events: Any stressful event, such as losing a job or going through a divorce, can trigger anxiety. This can also include driving-related events, such as a traffic jam or road works, which can increase frustration and anxiety.
Fear of the unknown: If you are driving to an unfamiliar place, you may become anxious due to fear of the unknown. This can include fear of getting lost or not knowing what to expect on the road, leading to avoidance of driving in new or unfamiliar areas.
Top tips to help you overcome driving anxiety and to feel relaxed and confident are:
Take small steps:
One effective way to overcome driving anxiety is to take small steps. For example, start by driving short distances on quiet roads and gradually increase the distance and complexity of your driving. This can help build confidence and reduce anxiety.
Know the rules of the road.
Knowing the rules and being prepared can help you reduce anxiety. Refresh your driving knowledge with the latest edition of the highway code.
Plan your route in advance.
Use Google Maps to get an overview of your route in advance and the maps app on your phone to help direct you as you drive. If you use the maps app on your phone for directions, use a phone holder. Attach this to where you can see your phone easily when driving and somewhere that doesn’t obscure your view. This is much better than trying to prop your phone up, and it keeps you compliant with the law.
Have appropriate documents.
Ensure you have relevant documents, such as a valid driver’s license, insurance information and phone number (or app) for your breakdown service. In the UK, you don’t legally have to carry these but just knowing you have them can help you feel more secure and relaxed.
Practice relaxation techniques:
Practice deep breathing before you get in the car. This will help you to stay relaxed and focused. Practice relaxation techniques: Deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. Practice these techniques before driving to help calm your nerves.
Listen to calming music:
Choose music your find calming while you are driving. This can help you to stay unruffled and focused.
Challenge negative thoughts:
Challenging negative thoughts about driving can boost self-confidence, reduce anxiety, improve decision-making, and increase the enjoyment of driving. It’s an important step in overcoming driving anxiety and making driving safer, more enjoyable, and less stressful. Challenge negative thoughts by focusing on your strengths as a driver and reminding yourself of times when you have successfully driven in challenging situations. You can read more about how to do this here.
Use visualisation:
Visualisation is a technique of creating a mental image or scenario in the mind to help achieve a desired outcome or goal, for example, your goal could be reducing anxiety and worries about driving. You would picture yourself successfully driving in situations that may trigger anxiety to build confidence and reduce stress while on the road. Visualisation techniques can help you build confidence, reduce anxiety, improve performance, and increase your driving enjoyment. It’s a powerful tool for overcoming driving anxiety and making driving safer, more enjoyable, and less stressful. Visualisation is a technique I utilise with my clients to help them overcome many stressful and anxiety-triggering thoughts and situations.
Practice defensive driving:
Defensive driving is a set of techniques to reduce the risk of accidents and improve road safety. Its benefits include increased safety, lower insurance rates, improved driving skills, reduced stress, and protection of yourself and others on the road. You can take defensive driving courses both in person and online. You can also find free videos on YouTube.
Take breaks:
If you feel overwhelmed while driving, take a break and pull over to a safe location. Use this time to practice relaxation techniques or seek support from a friend or loved one. It’s recommended that you should take breaks every 2 hours or 100 miles but take them more often if you feel the need.
Get Enough Sleep:
Getting enough sleep is essential for reducing anxiety. Ensure you get enough restful sleep before driving to help reduce anxiety. You can read more about why good sleep is essential and how to improve it here.
Seek professional help:
If your driving anxiety is severe, you may want to seek professional help. A mental health professional can help you identify the underlying causes of your anxiety and develop a treatment plan. One treatment option that is effective in managing driving anxiety is hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis, or a trance-like state, to access your unconscious mind and positively change your thoughts, behaviours, and habits.
How can hypnotherapy help you become confident behind the wheel?
Hypnotherapy can help you reduce and overcome anxiety associated with driving in many ways, such as:
Identify root causes:
Hypnotherapy can help you identify the root causes of your driving anxiety and change how you think and feel about these.Induce relaxation:
Hypnotherapy can induce a deep state of relaxation to reduce anxiety and promote calmness while driving.Visualise success:
With hypnotherapy, you can visualise yourself successfully driving in challenging situations to build confidence.Develop coping mechanisms:
Hypnotherapy can help you develop coping mechanisms for driving anxiety, such as deep breathing or positive self-talk.
Hypnotherapy can be a powerful tool for managing anxiety by addressing root causes, promoting relaxation and confidence, and developing effective coping mechanisms.
If you need more help becoming a calm, relaxed and confident driver, click here to book your free 30-minute consultation.
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